


Captain Old

by Ameliapll



Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Angst, Angst and Fluff, Haunting, Humour, M/M, Mentioned Character Death, Poor Barry, is this barry whump?, puns, self hatred, so many puns, using puns to cope
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-10
Updated: 2017-09-10
Packaged: 2018-12-25 23:31:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,219
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12046578
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ameliapll/pseuds/Ameliapll
Summary: Barry's life is a mess, and the only thing that makes him feel anything resembling happiness is exchanging banter with Leonard Snart.Which is probably a terrible idea.





	Captain Old

**Author's Note:**

  * For [sperrywink](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sperrywink/gifts).
  * Inspired by [Captain Cold or Captain Old?](https://archiveofourown.org/works/7989724) by [sperrywink](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sperrywink/pseuds/sperrywink). 



Len was panting, on his back, as Flash stood over him, a vivid smile on his lips.

 

“Better be careful, Snart,” he said, in a mockingly kind tone, “I wouldn’t want you to get damaged in your old age.”

“Please, kid, I’m not that old,” Len snorted, resisting the urge to blush in embarrassment. And for no other reason  _whatsoever,_ thank you very much. The kid was his nemesis, nothing more.

Flash looked unconvinced. “Yeah, sure. I’ll tell the CCPD to be gentle with you when taking you in. I wouldn’t want you busting a hip,”

Before Len could protest his age, Flash had zipped off.

 

 

He was broken out within a week, no surprise. Barry sighed, thinking of Eddie. How he’d protected Barry from Snart and Heatwave, from Eobard, from  _Joe,_ from the world.

And how Barry- stupidly- hadn’t thought of  _Thawne,_ and how Eddie was dead. And how Barry would never see him again.

Never get the pat on the shoulder as Eddie left, a bright smile on his lips, the deep  _Hey Bar_ Eddie never forgot to say.

How Eddie hadn’t a bad thing to say, but Barry had felt so much resentment towards him. Barry swore that he would  _never_ forget the blank, sad look in Eddie’s life as blood spread across his shirt, staining the white red.

How he’d collapsed so quickly, that Barry couldn’t get to him in time. Hadn’t saved him. Barry’s eyes burnt and he felt nausea rise in the pit of his stomach, Eddie’s smiling face stark in his mind.

“I’m sorry I failed you,” he whispered, tilting his head down.

The next time he saw Captain Cold- because it was never Len or Snart, it was easier to pretend that he was nothing more than a caricature, faceless behind a parka.

Nothing more.

“The retirement home boring you, Cold?” Barry yelled as he zipped past.  ~~Len~~  Cold growled, shooting him in the back, causing Barry to fall to the ground.

The heat insulators in his suit immediately started, rendering Cold’s action useless but the Captain was standing over him.

“A bit cocky in your youth?” he asked. Barry really wanted to slap him. The old puns were  _his_  things, not Cold’s.

 

 

 

Whenever he went to see Iris, her eyes were red with sadness, her lips trembling in her smile. Barry wanted to hold her, make it better like she’d done so much in their childhood.

But he couldn’t make the monster in yellow disappear this time.

Joe seemed resigned too. “It’s not your fault, Barry,” he’d say, “There’s nothing you could have done.”

Eddie, in his head, laughed. “You have super speed, Barry. You saved the city. Why didn’t you save me?”

“Just go, Barry,” Caitlin said, her voice slurred by drink. (He couldn’t help but remember those summer night so long ago). “Y’killed my husband, lost my job, what else can you take from me?”

Ronnie appeared, too. He and Eddie taunted Barry for being so slow. Sometimes they sounded like Wells, and Eddie’s eyes went icy blue.

 

 

It was only around Cold that Barry could escape the menaces in his head.

“Don’t tell me you’re going  _cold,_ Barry. Not up to speed today?” Cold enquired, spraying ice from his gun and hitting Barry’s side. 

Barry cried out before regaining his composure, “Just trying to make sure you can  _keep up..._ I wouldn’t want to get a reputation for being  _cold_ to the elderly,”

Cold blinked, startled. He opened his mouth to formulate a reply when Lisa shot at Barry, a steady stream of gold ready to coat him whole. Barry sprinted out of the way.

“Lenny! We need to go, cops are on the way.”

“Sorry, I’d love to stay and chat but I’m going to need to run along now,” Len drawled before leaving. Barry waited till he was out of earshot before he laughed and then he cried.

 

 

 

He got back to star labs, mentally thinking of puns to say to Cold when he saw the gang there. Cisco, Caitlin, Iris and Joe. They were all sitting in chairs, looking horrified.

“How could you?” Iris asked, voice cracking as she looked up at him.

“How could I...what?” Barry replied.

“I thought Cisco was exaggerating,” Joe said. “But he’s not. Son, you can talk to us.”

“Look, Cold escaped. Glider was shooting at me, I couldn’t grab him.”

“No?” Caitlin asked, raising her eyebrows angrily. “You seemed to have enough time when you were flirting with each other!”

“You think Cold was flirting with me?” Barry asked, ridiculously pleased for whatever reason.

“That’s not the point, Barry!” Cisco exclaimed, “we heard  _everything!_ ”

“Well, I admit that Cold and I banter a lot, but I wouldn’t call it flirtation.” Barry tried to defend himself. Iris let out a vaguely hysterical laugh.

“Oh my God, you don’t even realise it.”

“Bar, sit down.” Joe said, gently hauling him to a chair. “We’re on the other side of your coms. You and Snart have been flirting for weeks. We’re concerned, Barry. He’s not a good guy.”

“Trust me, I know that.” Barry said to avoid the Other Subject. “But I swear, I didn’t mean to flirt with him...”

Barry trailed off, thinking of Cold and the puns they shared.

“Was I really flirting with him?”

A hand fell on his arm and he met Iris’s understanding eyes. “When I was with Eddie, I felt happy. It was more than that. I felt safe. I felt like nothing could stop us. I trusted him with my whole and loved him with all I had. When you see Len...what happens?”

“Yeah, Barry.” Eddie said, goading him from his head. Ronnie laughed, the sound coming out mechanical and sad. “Tell us what happens.”

“I feel happy. I don’t have to blame myself for Eddie and Ronnie. All I have to do is keep running. I can laugh genuinely without feeling like I’m the worst. That I’m the reason for everything bad happening. I feel safe, though he’s shooting at me.”

“Then go get him, Barry. Run, Bar, run.” Iris said, squeezing his hand. Barry smiled  at her and bolted from the room.

 

 

“Hello, Captain Old. Sorry, slip of the tongue. It happens in my youth,” Barry teased.

“Cool off, kid. I’m not here to fire at you. See? I’m chill,” Len replied, not holding up his gun.

“Good, cause this would be awkward if you were trying to freeze me over,” Barry grinned, darting forwards and capturing his lips with the captains. The peck didn’t last long, and Barry moved back shyly. Hoping he hadn’t ruined anything.

“Damn, kid. If I knew you were going to heat things up, I wouldn’t have worn so many layers,” Len smirked. You couldn’t call someone Cold when you had kissed them. Barry felt that was disrespectful.

“Is that an invitation? I’ll make sure to quickly RSVP,” Barry replied, feeling his heart warmed as Len laughed genuinely.

“What do you think?” Len said, walking out the door. Barry paused for a minute. He expected Eddie or Ronnie to say something but they were quiet for once. He could see them, biding their time. So Barry smiled and sprinted after the Captain.

For once, the future didn’t scare him. He awaited it with open arms.


End file.
